Electrical outlet



Aug. 11, 1931. w, HUPPERT 1,818,804

ELECTRICAL OUTLET Filed Dec. 15, 1928 I ze l W f f INvE ToR,

APatented Aug. lll, 1931 -'WILLIAI HUPPEBT,

F NEW YORK, N. Y.

Enmarcar. our-LET appmmn ma maenner 15, 192s. sel-gal no. 320,190.

1 This invention relates to electrical outets.

Pursuant to my invention, the electrical outlet embodies a lurality of faces, each face having a set ol) openings in which are disposed contacts arranged to engagethe respective terminals of one or more plugs, thus enabling all of` the plugs when desired to be inserted at one time and within a minil mum space and without interference with one another.

My invention further embodies the distinctive feature of molding the insulating material'to Yhave linner and outecongurations and a bottom,opening, attainable. by simple molding operatlons, and co-ordinated to receive sim ly assembled terminals hav# ing contacts or the respective polarities, capable of being inserted through the bottom opening and maintained in' position within the inner apertures of the molded insulating material by Simple. rectilinear movement. Such arrangement enables com'- mon bindingscrews to be employed for vthe respective polarities, thus reducing the wiring to be performed by the electrician to simplest operations.-

and objects of the-ind understood from Further features vention will be more fully 3 thefollowing detail descriptionandthe ac= com'panyingndrawings, in which x Flg. 1 is an elevational view of an electrical outletfembo'dying my invention for two'plugs of cords of auxiliary circuits;

5 l Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. `1,', the

plugs 'being omitted;

. Flg. 3 is a sectional elevation on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

' Fig.' 4 is a sectional elevation on line 4.-.4. *oofFlg.2;l Y Fig. 5 is a bottom lan view, with the 4bottom closure remov and f Fig. 6 is .a d etail perspective view of a preferredform Aof multiple terminal icon'- 4.5 tact member. w

I Referring to the figures, the-outer body 10 of the outlet is formed of suitable insujlating material, such as porcelain, resinous condensationproducts, rubber, and other' o suitable composition materials. As appears in Fig. 3 and indicated in Fig. 1, the lanes of the faces 11, 12 having respective y the sets of openings and communicating channels13, 13a and 14, 14a,for the reception of the terminals of the respective plugs 15, 16, see Fig. 1, are disposed at suitable angles to one another, thus enabling all of the plugs to be located in Aposition relative to the body 10 without physical or other interference'with one another. TheA upper face upper annular cuter ridge 22, thus providing for physical stops of insulating matrial for limiting the extent of insertion of the terminals of the plugs 15, 16, and also to ositively support the plugbodi.

The 10 offlnsulating material is 75 molded to provide the r ective sets lof openings .13, 13a' and 14, an 1411., and their communicating channels extending downwardl at suitable angles to one another interior y of the body 10, and to respectively l0 merge with the substantially annularhchamber 23. Thus, the channels having the exterior openingslS, 14, for respectively re. ceiving terminals of like polarity-mer e at one side within a-member 2 3 and the c an- 95 nels having the exterior openings 13a and 14a for terminals of like olarity merge at the oppositesde within t e chamber 23.V

Such arrangement enables the contact members and their respective terminals to be constructed' of simple assembly, and-"IfpreferY to form the assembly to enable theV same to be mechanically ooritgleted prior to insertion and tol be inse i by simple rectilinear movement. 1Since alike con- 95 struction is'thus4 made poible for the respective p olarities, the description of one contact member, illustrated in perspective in Fig. 6, will suice.

Such 'multiple terminal 'coma member '1100 lcomposition and the like,-

comprises the strip 24 of copper or other suitable electrically conducting material having the opening25 for receiving a binding screw 39, see Fig. 4; this portion of the member 24 is disposed .substantially horizontally as appears in Fig. 4. An intermediate lportion 24m of the member 24 is bent at substantially a right-angle to extend vertically downwardly, as appears in Fig. 4 and is provided with a suitable opening for receivlng an eyelet 26 or equivalent for pivotal and electrical connection with the terminals 27, 28,- each preferably having flared resilient terminal portions 29, 29. The insulating body is molded to have the interior, closed-ended recesses 30, 30a for receiving and retaining the projecting Shanks of the binding screws 39.

I have discovered that bythe above stated formation of the contact members and the angular relationship between the respective terminal openings merging with common channels within the insulating body, the

mere insertion of Ythe respective contact.

members by rectilinear movement serves to physically maintain the same in position substantially, that vis to say, without any further support or securement.

The insulating body is preferably closed at its bottom opening 19 by means of electrically non-conducting material such as a disk 31 of fiber. l

A simple method of mounting the insulating body 10 and contained contact mem bers on a wooden base-board or the like, is had by means of a screw 32 passing through the substantially central perforation 33 in the insulating body 1 0. The screw 32 serves also to hold the bottom closure` 31 in position, namely, by passing its threaded end through .the opening 31a in the disk 31.

The insulating 'body l() is also provided with suitable lateral openings 34, 35 for receiving therethrough the terminal portions v 36, 37 of the electrical conductors to be connected to the binding posts 39, 39, respectively, Y A simple nethod of connection of the con# tacts with the electrical conductors is effl fected by severing but one conductor, say

the conductor 38, to provide the respective terminal portions 36, 37, and leaving-'the other conductor 39lintact, thus connecting the conductors of the cords o f the plugs 15,

16; in electrical series.

From the above, 1t will be apparent that the moldin of the block of insulating material is e ectcd by sim le operations and is adapted for the use o porcelain as well as a resinous condensation roduct, rubber cifcally, the insulatinglbody may be solide for the central zone extending through the lowel` extension 40, excepting for the bore of the cen? tral perforation 33 for the mounting screw 32, and the channels in the interior of the la set of two contact members is grasped, one placed with a binding screw within one interior recess and the angularly arranged channels and similarly lfor the other set of contact members in the opposite interior recess and its angular channels, Ywhereupon the bottom closure 31 is placed in position, and the mounting screw 32 passed through the central perforation 33 and then-threaded through the central opening 31a of the closure 31, thus holding the closure in position for the period of shipments and storage of the electrical outlet. The mounting or positioning of the outlet upon a baseboard or other suitable material or location is had by the simple use of a screw driveror equivalent, after the bored terminals of the conductor or conductors have been screwed to the binding posts,'as abovev indicated. As appears in Fig. 4, the horizontal portions of the elements 24 respectively of the contact members are arranged to engage cornered or other solid portions of the interior body of the insulating material, and the rearward ends of the vertical portions of these elements' 24 are arranged to be engaged by the closure 31 or equivalent, whereby the individualmontact members are readily positioned in assemblyby force applied at vthe rearward ends of the portions 24 of the contact members and effectively retained in `position against displacement in all directions by force applied at their forward 4ends to the respective contact members in the area ofthe face of the plug, thus greatly decreasing the quantity and dimensions of outlets as compared with those heretofore proposed and used. Furthermore, the ridges or projections in general at each face further serve to reduce the amount of material by providing the counter-sunk disposall of the fiat faces, as well as to positively n i terial further being provided with a ications may be made without departing from the' spirit of the invention.

1. An outlet comprising an integral bodyl of insulating material having a plurality of sets of channelsopenin ait opposite lateral sides, the faces of sai lateral,I sides being'disposed at an angle to one another, contact members each having a plurality of terminal portions respectively extending into said channels for engagement therein with terminalsof respective plugs, said insulating material being provided with lateral openings lin its body portion respectively communicating with said angularly arranged channels for the accommodation of l conductors, said body of insulating ma-j terial having a single opening at its bottom, a closure of insulating material for said bottom opening, said body of insulating maerforation and a securing element extendrin through said perforation for mounting sai bod of insulating material and jointly hol g said closure in position.

2. An outlet comprising an integral body ofinsulating material having a plurality of vconductors, each' olf said contact members with line conductors and for retaining thej being `formed ofcontact elements of elec-- trically conducting material having resilient terminal portions" and an element of electrically conducting material jointly connected to said contact members,'said elements being arrangedto engage solid portions of,` the interlor of said insulating material to serve jointly for connection respectively contact members in position. 3. A11 outletcomprising a body of insulatA ing material having a plurality of .sets of channels opening at opposite lateral sides, the facesfof said lateral sides being disposed at an angle to one another, and contact'members each havin a plurality of terminal portions respectlvely \extending' into saidchannels for engagement therein withgter- 'minals of respective plugs, saidinsulating material being provided with lateralopen` ings in itsbody portionfrespectively communicating with -said an' larly arranged channelsffor the accomio ation vof conductors, each'of -said'contact members being formed of contact elements of electrically conducting material having resilient 4vte'rF minal portions and an element of electrically conducting material jointly pivotally con- I nected to said contact elements.

4. An outletcomprising a body of insulating material having a plurality of sets of channels opening at opposite lateral sides,V

the`faces o said lateral sides being disposed at an angle to one another, and contact mem7 bers each having a plurality of terminal lportions respectively extending ,into said c annels for engagement therein with terminals of respective plugs, said insulating material being providedv with lateral opemngs in its body portion res ectively .communicating with said angular y'a'rranged channels for the accommodation of conductors, each of said Contact members being formed of contact elements of electrically conducting material .having resilient terminal ortions and an element of electrically conducting materially jointly connected to said contact elements, said last-named element of electrically tending at an angle to said contact elements and provided with an opening for receiving a binding screw'.

5. A11 outlet comprising abody of insulatconducting material having a portion exing material `,having a vplurality of-sets of channels opening at opposite lateral sides, the faces of said lateral sides being disposed at an angle to one another, and contact members each havin a plurality of terminal portions `respectively extending into sald lchannels for engagement therein with terminals of, respective plugs, said insulating material being` provided with lateral openings in its bodyl municating 'wit said angularly arranged channels for the` accommodation of conductors, each of said contact members being v formed of contact-elements of eletrically conducting j material having resillent ter` minal portions and anelement of electrically conducting material jointly plvotall connected to said contact felements, sai named element ofelectrically conducting material ,having a portion extending at an angle to said contact elements and provided with an opening for' receiving a binding screw. K I6. An outlet com rising an integral body of insulating materlal provided wlth a plu-r rality of sets of channels opening on oppo` site forward faces, said faces being disposed portion respectively comlast- 1 at an angle to one another, said insulating 2 body/ being further provided with a chamber on a. rearward face communicating in common with said channels respectively,

contact members each formed of terminal portions respectively extending into'said sets of channels for engagement therein with tel'- minals of respective plugs, said terminal portions of each contact member being pivotally connected to one another, each said contact member further comprising an/ element adapted to engage a solid interior portion of said insulation body to thereby limit the movement of each contact member 1n its enclosing channel, and retaining means.

for said contact members against displacement through said rearward chamber.

7. An outlet comprising an integral body of insulating material provided with a plurality of sets of channels opening on opposite forward faces, said faces -being disposed ,at an angle to 'one another, said insulating body being further provided with a chamber on a rearward face communicating in common with said channels respectively, contact members each formed of terminal portions respectively extending into said sets of channels for engagement therein with terminals of respective plugs, said terminal portions of each contact member being pivotally connected to one another, each saidcontact member further comprising an element adapted to engage a solid interior portion of said insulation body to thereby limit the movement of each lcontact member in its enclosing channel, each said element being pivotally connected to one of its associated said'terminal portions, and retaining means for said contact members against displacementrthr'ough said rearward member.

8. An outlet comprising an integral body of insulating material provided with a plurality of sets of channels opening on oppo-V site forward faces, said faces being disposed at an angle to one another, said insulating body being further provided with a` chamber on a rearward face communicating in common with said channels respectively, contact members each formed of terminal'portions.

respectively extending into said sets of channels for engagement therein with terminals of respective plugs, said terminal portions of each contact member and said element being pivotally connected to one another,

each said contact member further` comprising an element adapted to engage a solid interior ortion of'said insulation body to thereby llmitr the movement of each vcontact member in its enclosing channel, and retaining means for said contactmembers against gisplacementthrough said rearward meiner. v

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 26th day of Nov. 1928.

A WILLIAM HUPPERT. 

